German grocer Lidl applies business intelligence to U.S. expansion

Neckarlsum, Germany — German discount grocer Lidl is applying business intelligence technology to its planned expansion into the U.S.



Lidl, which operates nearly 10,000 stores and 130 distribution centers across 26 countries, will use solutions based on the SAP HANA business intelligence platform to support its IT strategy for entering the U.S. market.



Currently, Lidl is using SAP ERP and business warehouse technology powered by HANA, as well as SAP Customer Activity Repository applications, to help simplify and centralize its IT infrastructure. After the implementation of the new ERP system at Lidl Austria, further subsidiaries will follow.



SAP HANA provides Lidl with a single platform to run essential applications that optimize and automate core merchandising, logistics and in-store processes. The in-memory technology behind SAP HANA can process large amounts of data in real time. Targeting the right markets and servicing customers with relevant assortments in all channels requires Lidl to systematically analyze data to better understand and react to customer behavior.



Lidl also uses SAP Customer Activity Repository to gain a real-time view into the current performance of store operations. With SAP Customer Activity Repository, Lidl is able to provide its business departments information on all customer interactions and current stock levels.



“Reporting and acting on a store’s daily key operating figures usually took 24 hours,” said Alexander Sonnenmoser, divisional board member for business technology at Lidl. “Thanks to SAP Customer Activity Repository, we are now able to analyze point-of-sale data in real time, several times a day.”



Lidl used end-to-end SAP MaxAttention services to help keep the project on track.